The present invention generally relates to closures for containers. In particular, the present invention relates to a container closure having frangible seals.
In the packaging of many products it is desirable to seal the containers. Containers, particularly those for comestibles, are typically provided with frangible seals that protect the contents of the containers during shipment and storage. The frangible seats can also act as indicators that signal a user of possible product tampering. While providing these benefits, manufacturers desire to minimize the cost that the seals add to the containers and provide seals that are easy to use.
One kind of frangible seal is a membrane which includes a groove or score line that defines a removable portion of the seal. The groove provides a line of weakness along which the seal is torn when it is removed from the container. Some frangible seals also include a tear strip which encircles the removable portion of the seal. The tear strip is formed integrally with the seal and is defined by a pair of spaced-apart grooves which encircle the seal. An integral finger grip may be provided at one end of the tear strip to pull it away from the container.
One type of finger grip includes a generally flat ring through which a user puts a finger to apply a pulling force. This type of finger grip can be uncomfortable to use because the ring often is too thin for the pulling force required. In addition, ring-type finger grips are frequently difficult to initially grasp because of their awkward location, which is typically flat against the outer surface of the seal.
Another type of finger grip is generally formed as a flat, flexible tab that either projects away from the outer surface of the seal or lies flat against it. Flexible-type finger grip can easily slip from a user""s grip because these tabs are frequently thin and narrow and have smooth gripping surfaces. To prevent slippage, serrations have sometimes been provided on one or both faces. Flexible finger grips that lay flat against the seal can be difficult to initially grip.
Yet another type of finger grip includes a lever formed generally by a relatively large, rigid tab that acts as a lever to initially break the seal. After the seal is initially broken, the tab is used to pull the seal or the tear strip along the one or more grooves. Lever-type finger grips are relatively costly to manufacture because of the rigidity required to function as a lever. In addition, this type of finger grip is typically closely spaced from the seal can be difficult to initially grasp.
Typically, frangible seals are formed integrally with body portions into closure members which are separate from the containers. After the containers are filled with product, the closure members are attached to the containers, which are then sealed. Current methods of attaching closure members to containers result in the peripheral edges of the closures projecting beyond the outer surfaces of the containers. For example, metal closure members which close metal containers are crimped to the walls of the container. The crimped joints are then rolled outward from the containers. Also, plastic and metal closures used to seal plastic or cardboard containers have flanges that engage the outer peripheries of the containers. These flanges projected beyond the walls of the containers and can catch edges of similar containers or other items, making the containers inconvenient to ship, store and use.
Some containers having frangible seals are also provided with reclosable lids which are used to reseal the containers after the frangible seal has been removed. Reclosable lids allow a user to conveniently use the container to store contents that are not emptied at one time or that may be used outside of the container and returned to the container until further use. An example of the first type of content is a powdered drink mix that is mixable with water to make several gallons of flavored drink. Frequently, a user desires to use only a small portion of the mix at one time and return the rest to storage. An example of the second type of content is tennis balls. Typically, tennis balls are packaged in resealable cans. The balls may be used more than once, and users frequently return them to the original container to store them until the next time they are needed.
Conventional reclosable lids are often not attached to the containers and can be easily misplaced. In addition, most reclosable lids have peripheral flanges which provide snap fits to the rolled edges or flanges of the closures. The outer edges of these flanges can easily catch on other items which can cause the lids to open inadvertently.
The present invention comprises a closure for a container. The closure includes a body having an inner periphery and an outer periphery. A removable seal made from a thin, tearable material engages the inner periphery of the body and covers an opening defined thereby. The seal has a tear strip which is at least partially defined by a pair of spaced-apart grooves in the seal and has a starting end. A finger grip is located adjacent the starting end and includes a pair of finger tabs which are substantially parallel to the seal and have a proximal and a distal end. The proximal ends of the finger tabs are connected to the tear strip adjacent each other and the distal ends of the finger tabs project in a direction at least partially away from each other.
A further aspect of the invention provides a body having a flange which is engagable with the interior surface of a wall of a container. A skirt is located upwardly adjacent the flange and engages a removable lid. The lid is attached to the skirt by a tether. The lid also has a lifting tab located opposite the tether. When the lid is in its closed position, the lifting tab and the tether are located in notches within the upper edge of the skirt. In a further aspect of the invention, the flange and the skirt are offset by the thickness of a wall of a container to which closure will be attached. The offset allows the outer periphery of the skirt to be flush with the outer periphery of the container when the closure is attached to the container.